1 Peter 3:15

[HollyW]

1 Peter 3:15  But sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts,

Is the Bible telling us to sanctify an angel in our hearts as Lord?

[JW Insider]

Someone who was never "just" an angel, but who has always been the Son of God, and who evidently served in the capacity of an archangel, someone who had many angels at his command. (His Father, Jehovah, also has myriads and myriads of angels at his command.)

[io.porog]

Is it interesting, that Jason BeDuhn whom we have referred to regarding his book Truth in Translation, mentions about the 84 NWT that verse comes up. Some documents called J Documents were used to help the brothers decide where Jehovah's name should appear in the Greek text. There is a J Document for this scripture too which would render the text this way:

"But sanctify the Christ as Jehovah in your hearts."

But curiously we did not render it that way, apparently because it might cause confusion. For me, it just means that Jesus which means Jehovah is Salvation, is coming in Jehovah's name as his representative. But I can see that confusion could happen for some. However, when the third angel spoke to Abraham as they looked over at Sodom and Gomorrah, he too was speaking as Jehovah himself. We explain this situation in a number of articles and books, but not regarding 1 Peter 3: 15.

Just a thought. Sorry, to drop in like this too, I realise I haven't replied to your other thread. 

[HollyW]

4 hours ago, JW Insider said:

Someone who was never "just" an angel, but who has always been the Son of God, and who evidently served in the capacity of an archangel, someone who had many angels at his command. (His Father, Jehovah, also has myriads and myriads of angels at his command.)

Well, you also say Jesus is a god, another god besides the only true God, the Father.  

Is the Bible telling us to sanctify another god in our hearts as Lord?

[JW Insider]

Jesus is "a god" in the sense of being divine. A divine representation of the Almighty Father. As humans, we cannot fathom the depth and breadth of the Almighty, but His Son represents Him in such a way that we can understand Him and therefore bring the Lord into our hearts. In other words, even if it had been translated "...sanctify the Christ as Jehovah in your hearts. . ." we should still see it in the sense that Christ has helped us to bring Jehovah into our hearts. It's in the way John 1 explains:

(John 1:14-18) 14 So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father; and he was full of divine favor and truth. . . 16 For we all received from his fullness, even undeserved kindness upon undeserved kindness. 17 Because the Law was given through Moses, the undeserved kindness and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ. 18 No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him.

Jesus, in heaven, still considers the Father to be his God. (Rev 1:1, etc.)

[HollyW]

1 hour ago, JW Insider said:

Jesus is "a god" in the sense of being divine.

I think the WTS says that Jesus is "a god" in the sense of being a mighty spirit creature, but not quite as mighty as the true God, as explained in the Bible Teach book: because of his high position among Jehovah’s creatures, the Word is referred to as “a god.” Here the term “god” means “mighty one.” [p.202]

Doesn't it even feel out of place to be setting apart an angel, or a god-like creature, as Lord in your heart, no matter how "mighty" you might think he is?

[Melinda Mills]

See the explanations below

: *** it-2 p. 856 Sanctification *** Jesus Christ. Jehovah God selected his only-begotten Son and sent him to earth to do a special work in behalf of God’s name and to give his life as a ransom for humankind. But he was not received and respected by the Jewish nation as that sent one; rather, they denied his sonship and his position with his Father. He replied to them: “Do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and dispatched into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, I am God’s Son?”—Joh 10:36.

The apostle Peter writes to Christians, telling them to “sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts.” He shows that one who does this will stay away from what is bad and will do good. The people of the nations hold in their hearts an awe and a fear of men and of other things. But the Christian should set Christ in the right place in his affections and motivations. This would mean recognizing Christ’s position as God’s Chief Agent of life, the Messianic King, God’s High Priest, and the one who gave his life as a ransom. He should also keep Christ’s example of good conduct before him and hold a good conscience in connection with his own conduct as a Christian. If a person, even a ruler, should harshly demand a reason for his hope, the Christian who thus sanctifies Christ in his heart will make a good defense, yet with a mild temper and deep respect.—1Pe 3:10-16.

 

*** sg study 18 pp. 94-95 par. 15 Improving Your Answers ***

There are occasions when we may be called on to make a defense before law courts or representatives of the law who have the authority to ask us what we believe and why we believe that way. “Sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts,” counsels the apostle. Be sure that deep in your heart you accord the Lord Jesus Christ the highest respect, a sacred position, one not to be desecrated. Then there will be no reason for anxiety. If we please the One anointed of God as King over all the earth, there is no reason to be perturbed about how men in high positions may react.

[HollyW]

Look at it this way:

But the Christian should set an angel in the right place in his affections and motivations.  This would mean recognizing an angel's position as God’s Chief Agent of life, the Messianic King, God’s High Priest, and the one who gave his life as a ransom. 

Be sure that deep in your heart you accord an angel the highest respect, a sacred position, one not to be desecrated.

[Shiwiii]

On 9/19/2016 at 5:12 AM, JW Insider said:

A divine representation of the Almighty Father.

Doesn't Hebrews 1:3 say that Jesus is the EXACT representation or image of God? Not just like, or a representative, but exactly. There isn't a way that Jesus is not exactly like His Father. 

"3 He is the
reflection of God’s glorye and the
exact representation of his very
being, and he sustains all things
by the word of his power. And
after he had made a purification
for our sins,g he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty
on high."

How can you say that Jesus is anything but God? 

On 9/19/2016 at 5:12 AM, JW Insider said:

In other words, even if it had been translated "...sanctify the Christ as Jehovah in your hearts. . ." we should still see it in the sense that Christ has helped us to bring Jehovah into our hearts. It's in the way

Should we not see it just as it says? Jesus is exactly the same in nature, the nature of God Himself. 

[Shiwiii]

13 hours ago, Melinda Mills said:

He should also keep Christ’s example of good conduct before him and hold a good conscience in connection with his own conduct as a Christian.

This isn't even possible. That is why Jesus came, because we cannot do this on our own. Man could not live according to the law of Moses that was given to him by God, so Jesus came to fulfill the law.